OTTAWA — French fries sold at major fast-food chains in Canada contain more than double the amount of salt of those sold at U.S. locations, according to a new international study that found salt levels in fast foods varied significantly in different countries.

Researchers compared the salt content in breakfast items, burgers, chicken products, pizza, salads, sandwiches and french fries sold at six major fast-food companies in six developed countries. The chains in Canada sold the saltiest sandwiches, salads and fries, while breakfast items, chicken products and pizza sold in the United States were the saltiest.

Burgers in New Zealand contained more salt than any other country, the study, published Monday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found.

The international team, which included Dr. Norm Campbell of the University of Calgary, looked at the salt content in products sold at Burger King, Domino's Pizza, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald's, Pizza Hut and Subway.

In addition to these overall geographical trends, the study found that individual items marketed as the same product had "very different levels" of salt in different countries.

The salt content of food categories varied between the same products in different countries. For example, McDonald's Chicken McNugget had 2 1/2 times more salt in the United States than in the United Kingdom (1.6 versus 0.6 g of salt per 100 g).

The study also found a "marked variation" in the salt content of products within each of the seven categories studied, with a five-fold or greater difference in the salt content per 100 grams between the least salty and the most salty product in each category.

The authors say the results suggest technical issues, often cited as a barrier to salt reduction initiatives, are not the issue. That's why they want to see governments step in to force fast-food companies to reformulate.

"The salt content of fast foods varies substantially, not only by type of food, but by company and country in which the food is produced. Although the reasons for this variation are not clear, the marked differences in salt content of very similar products suggest that technical reasons are not a primary explanation. In the right regulatory environment, it is likely that fast food companies could substantially reduce the salt in their products, translating to large gains for population health," the study concludes.

"Governments setting and enforcing salt targets for industry would provide a level playing field, and no company could gain a commercial advantage of using high levels of salt."

A previous study published in 2009 by the British-based World Action on Salt and Health also found variations across countries in the amount of salt in some processed food manufactured, including Kellogg products.

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